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Ms Kelley Teahen (BA, 1983)

     “I wasn’t really sure what I wanted to study in university. I thought I wanted to study psychology,” remembers Ms Kelley Teahen (Hon. BA 1983), “but it became clear that writing was my strength and I wanted to pursue it.” Waterloo was an obvious choice for Kelley because she lived nearby, was drawn to the university’s excellent reputation, and she could spend her first year exploring options in the arts before choosing a major for second year. “It was a just a great fit,” she says.

     Kelley was always an engaged student and took a variety of classes. Most terms, she took more than a full course load because she “really enjoyed taking electives and learning.” Some of her favourite English classes included Shakespeare taught by Professor Ted McGee and Old English with Professor Doug Letson, whose “dry wit and enthusiasm” she appreciated. “I couldn’t read a word of Old English if you asked me to now, but I really loved his classes,” says Kelley.

     What she enjoyed most about being a Waterloo student was the welcoming atmosphere on campus, which gave her a sense of home. She remembers taking late-night walks with friends to the Campus Centre (now Student Life Centre) and grabbing a hot chocolate: “I loved those simple things - studying late into the night at Dana Porter Library, sitting around the Arts Quad statues, talking. Living on campus, it really becomes your home.” Within the English community, she appreciated being around others who had a love of the language. “It was nice to be with other people who got frustrated by “its” and “it’s” errors – people who got it,” she jokes.

     Kelley lived at the St. Jerome’s University residence for three years and was actively involved in residence life. She says that orientation weeks were some of the greatest times of her life, a chance to catch up with friends who she hadn’t seen all summer. She also sang in the Conrad Grebel Chamber Choir and fondly remembers the concerts it gave and the trips she took as a member. Through her ties to the Waterloo music community, she was able to study music and culture in Vienna, Austria, for a month. “That was a highlight for me, to be able to access those opportunities.”

     After completing her BA at Waterloo, Kelley went to Dalhousie University, Halifax where she earned an MA in English. While in Halifax, she also earned a BA in Journalism from The University of King’s College. She pursued a career in journalism for some years, and then was media manager at the Stratford Festival of Canada before returning to Waterloo to work in its communications department. She has been with the university for five years and today is the institution’s Director of External Communications. She works to “communicate that university’s story and message to the public and external audiences.” She edits the University of Waterloo Magazine, contributes to the website, and creates material for other Waterloo publications.

     She says that an English degree from Waterloo truly strengthened her abilities as a writer. “Understanding the development of language equips one well for a career in communications,” says Kelley. Although she did not plan on returning to work for Waterloo, she says that when the opportunity presented itself, she jumped at it: “It’s nice to be promoting a cause you really believe in.”